Shannon Ridge Acquires Historic Lake County Property

Date: 06/03/13

Shannon Ridge Family of Wines purchased 100 acres of the historic Ogulin Estate, located in the cool High Valley Appellation of Lake County.

Shannon Ridge will be rebuilding and preserving the 1870s-era home and winery on the property. Currently there are 18 acres under vine, and Shannon Ridge plans to plant an additional 62 acres to Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Chardonnay in 2014.

The property was sold to Shannon Ridge by owners Harold and Grace Ogulin. Harold Ogulin is a third-generation descendant of original Lake County pioneers. He and Grace will have a life estate on the property.

The portfolio of award-winning Shannon Ridge wines includes the Single Vineyard Collection and High Elevation Collection, as well as affiliated brands Vigilance Vineyards, Dalliance, and Cross Springs. Shannon Ridge's vineyards are certified sustainable by Farming for Flavors, and are known for their woolly compost machines – a flock of 1,000 sheep, complete with shepherd and a team of highly trained sheepdogs. The sheep do an excellent job of canopy management and leaf removal, and pick the vineyard clean after harvest. They also manage the cover crop in the spring and work hard to reduce fire danger in the surrounding hills the remainder of the year.

The Shannons are committed to preserving their land, not only for the great vineyard sites but also for the bear, elk, mountain lions, eagles and other creatures which live there. Of their approximately 1,400 acres, only about 35 percent have been converted to vineyards. The balance of the land has been preserved for the wildlife which wanders through the property from the expansive wilderness areas adjoining the ranches. The vineyards were carefully planned out, leaving corridors open to migrating animals and protecting sensitive nesting areas.